Since 1988, Cannibal Corpse have been at the forefront of death metal, shaping and defining the genre, creating a seminal, incomparable body of work over the following decades. In 2021 they raised the stakes again with their 15th album, 'Violence Unimagined', growing ever more complex and intense, and in 2023 they return with its successor, the equally monstrous 'Chaos Horrific', starting a new chapter in their legacy. Written shortly after the conclusion of the 'Violence Unimagined' sessions (due to the pandemic keeping them off tour), echoes of that album exist in 'Chaos Horrific', but this is a whole new beast of its own. “To me this album feels sort of like a continuation of 'Violence Unimagined'. The style is quite similar, but individually none of the songs on 'Chaos Horrific' sound like songs on 'Violence Unimagined',” says bassist Alex Webster. “It’s a full-on death metal album, Cannibal Corpse style.”
Drummer Paul Mazurkiewicz named the record, and the musicians all felt it was a great representation of the band. Cannibal Corpse typically lyrically linger in dark and twisted territory, and 'Chaos Horrific' is no exception. Subjects covered include resetting the human race through mass mutilations (“Blood Blind”), fighting off hordes of zombies (“Chaos Horrific”), the selection of a random individual to be dismembered and sacrificed (“Summoned For Sacrifice”), and the violent revenge of victims of human trafficking (“Vengeful Invasion”). The album artwork--by longtime collaborator Vince Locke--is also suitably Cannibal Corpse-esque, featuring a chaotic tangle of the living and the undead, evoking the lyrics of the title track.
The band are already looking ahead to the touring in support of 'Chaos Horrific', with every track destined to go off like a bomb when played live, Cannibal Corpse primed and ready to destroy everything in their path. While 2023 is the band’s 35th anniversary, they’re mostly excited about the present and future. That said, guitarist Erik Rutan sums up the band members’ feeling about the impressive milestone. “I think it’s such an amazing feat. It speaks to the work ethic and dedication that everyone has put into Cannibal Corpse. When you think about how many bands never make it a decade, let alone three plus, it is such a testament to the creativity aspect and determination and loyalty towards what we do.”